Feeding and orienting method and apparatus



March 27, 1945. G, N. HEIN 2,372,325

' FEEDING AND ORIENTING METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed Sept. 15, 1942 4 Sheets-Shet 1 March 27, 1945. G. N. HEIN 2,372,325

FEEDING AND ORIENTING METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed Sept. 15, 1942 '4 Sheets-Sheet 2 e 2 I ze 92 824 90 235 26 r /0 M6 .234 'ir'i' H o iVI/IIIIIII I All 2 N6 O O 56 8 g 58 =HFL M E /26 M2 6/; I0

Qwuc-rvfoz ($50265 NORTON HE/N aw /M G. N. HEIN March 27, 1945.

FEEDING AND ORIENTING METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed Sept. 15, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 G. N. HElN March 27, 1945.

FEEDING AND ORIENTING METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed Sept. 15, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 flwumvtor,

GEORGE NOQTO/V HE/N Patented Mar. 27, 1945 FEEDING AND ORIENTING METHOD AND APPARATUS George Norton Hein, San Carlos, Caiii'., aslignor i to Food ery Corporation, San Jose, Call! a. corporation of Delaware Application September 15, 1942, Serial No. 458,444

23 Claims.

. This invention is concerned with a novel method and apparatus for feeding and orienting objects of more or less ovoidal shape so as to arrange and deliver them in uniformly positioned relation with respect to their major axis.

Olives, for xample, are of the general shape referred to, and one of the principal problems heretofore encountered in the operation of olive pitting machines has been the diillcuity of mechanically feeding the olives to the pitting mechanism in such properly and uniformly positioned relation as to insure that the pitting tool will uniformly penetrate the olives along their stemblossom axis as required for a commercially acceptable product.

My invention is well adapted for use in connection with olive pitters to arrange and deliver the olives in properly and uniformly positioned relation, and hence, for purposes of this disclosure, I shall describe an illustrative embodiment as so employed, it being understood, however, that this is but one of various possible applications, since respect to their major axis.

it is also an object to provide such a method 1 and apparatus which is not only rapid and highly effective in operation but is also of a. relatively simple, compact and inexpensive nature.

Other objects and advantages of my'invention will become more apparent from the following I description taken in connection with the accom- .-panying drawings wherein:

.. ,Fig. 1 is a plan view of-a portion of an olive pit- I ting machine having the apparatus of my invention associated therewith, some portions of the mechanism being broken away to better illustrate certain of the parts;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken as indicated by the arrow 22 in Fig. 1, showing the power drive and indexing mechanism. certain parts being omitted;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation taken as indicated by the arrows 3-4 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken as indicated by the arrows 4-4 in Fig. 1, showing an end elevation of the feeding and orienting mechanism in its up" position and the cam means for positioning the same;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal section taken as indicated by the arrows 5-5 in Fig. 4 of the feeding am orienting mechanism;

Fig. 6 is a vertical transverse section taken as indicated by the arrows 6-6 in Fig. 5;

Fig. '7 is a section similar to that in Fig. 6 showing a unit in process of discharging an olive;

Fig. 8 is a horizontal section taken as indicated by the arrows 8-8 in Fig. 5;

Fig. 9 is a vertical section taken as indicated by the arrows 9-9 in Fig. 8, showing a detail of the chamber closure structure; and

Fig. 10 is a vertical section taken as indicated by the arrows lit-l Ii in Fig. 2, showing a detail of the air valve control cam in its position relative to the valve operating rod during an interval when the valve is closed.

It is to be observed that the pitting machine proper is only partially disclosed in the drawings since much of its construction, including the pitting and other mechanisms, form no part of the present invention and their disclosure is unnecessary to a proper understanding thereof. Hence these have been omitted in the interests of clarity and brevity. It may be stated however that so far as disclosed, the pitting machine is of the general character disclosed in the co-pending application of Cecil A. Britten, Serial No. 418,481, filed November 10, 1941, and reference is made to that application for details of construction and operation of the machine as a whole.

As best seen in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings the apparatus illustrated is supported by means of a base Ill, only the upper portion of which is shown but which is constructed to rest on a floor or other suitable foundation. Bolted to the base III is a hexagonally-shaped pedestal 22 for carrying the several mechanisms. Secured in the upper end of the'pedestal is a stationary vertical stud shaft 24, having threaded thereon a retaining flange 26, a lock nut 28, an adjusting nut 30 and an adjusting lock nut 32. Freely rotatable and vertically adjustable on the stud shaft 24,

intermediate the flange 26 and nut 30 is a circular carrier table 34, having an index plate or gear 36 forming part of a conventional Geneva mechanism through which the table is intermittently driven. The table is provided with a plurality of groups of individual olive holding cups 0 into which the olives are deposited and by which the pitting operation and for finally discharging the pitted fruit into a. discharge hopper 42. As previously mentioned; these latter mechanisms form no part of the present invention and hence have been omitted from the drawings in the interests of clarity. 1

Power for driving the table is supplied by an electric motor 44, carried on a bracket 49 bolted to the base 29. The motor has a built-in gear reduction unit 49, the output shaft 99 of which has secured thereto a sprocket wheel 92. A further sprocket wheel 94 is keyed to a horizontal shaft 99. one end of which is .lournaled in an L- shaped arm 99 of a spider bracket 99 secured to the body of the pedestal 22. ,The other end of the shaft 99 is rotatably iournaled in a face 99 of the pedestal. Trained around the sprocket wheels 92 and 94 is a chain 9I for driving the shaft 99 upon o eration of the motor 44. Also secured to the shaft 99 is a bevel gear 92 which drives a train of similar intermeshing bevel ears 94, 99 and 99, as best seen in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The bevel .gear 99 (Fi 2) is secured to a horizontal shaft I9, rotatably journaled in a face I2 of the pedestal 22 and in a further L-shaned arm 14 of the pedestal spider bracket 9. previously mentioned. Also fixed to the shaft I I is a bevel gear I9 that engages a bevel ear I9 secured to a vertical shaft 99 carrying the drive a m 92. and lock n isc 94 of the Geneva mechanism, these members enracing the index p ate 29 to intermittently drive the table 94. The shaft 99 is rntatahlv ,inu naled in the vertical bea in s of a bracket 99 bolted to the arm I4 of the pe estal spi er bracket 99. Thus. it will be seen t at upon operat on of the motor 44. shaft 9 will be rotated and in turn will produce rotation of the sha ts I9 and 99 through the bevel gearing above desc ibed to effect operati n of the Geneva mechanism an indexin of the table 94. In t e disclosed embodiment the tab e is in exe 60 de rees f r each complete revolution of t e Geneva and 92.

The mechan sm for feeding. orientin and delivering the olives to the h l in cu s 49 with their stem-blossom axis in uni ormly pos tioned relationto the cups, and which for convenience will sometimes be referred to as the positioning mechanism. will now be described.

As generally shownin Fi s; 1 to 4 the positioning mechanism com rises a-rectansular feeding box 99. provided with a hopper 99 and a delive y structure 99.v These components are vertically disposed one above the other and the whole mechanism is mounted upon a rocker frame 92 by which it may be raised and lowered relative to the holding cups 49 when de iver-ins olives. as best seen in Fig. 4. The frame 92 has opposite side arms 94 (Figs. 1 and 3) which are rigidly joined ,by a curved web 99 carrying a vertical bearing 99. "The arms 94 terminate at their upper ends in vertically disposed supporting pads I99 which turn in towards each other from the arms 94 and carry the positioning mechanism by beingsecured through bolts I92 to the front wall I94 (Fig. 3) of the feeding box. The lower ends of the arms 94 are pivotally mounted on a horizontal rod I99. The rod I99 is carried in a U-shaped bracket I99 stiffened by a rib I99 and provided with upward leg extensions II9 which straddle the arms 94 of the frame 92 and are bored to receive threaded ends of the rod I 99. Nuts II2 are secured over the threaded ends of the rod to hold it in place. The base of the bracket I99 is secured to the pedestal spider member 99 in a manner not shown.

As best seen in Figs. 3 and 4, the frame 92 is raised and lowered by a tri-toothed plate cam m, secured asby asst screw III to a horizontal shaft Ill rotatably journaled in opposite bearings I29 of the bracket I99. Secured to the overhanging end of the cam shaft H9 is a bevel gear I22 held thereto by a set screw I24. This gear is driven by a bevel pinion I29 secured to the overhanging end I29 of the shaft 19 'of the table drive mechanism previously described from which it receives its power.

A. roller cam follower I99 engages the cam H4,

and is supported in bearing arms I92 of the forked lower end of a vertical rod I94 by a horisontal pin shaft I99 with which the roller is rotatably Journaled. The shaft I99 is mounted in the bearing arms I92 and extends at each side to proper relation to the olive holding cups when the cam follower is in the bottom of the valley I49 between the teeth of the cam. A set screw I44 is provided in the bearing 99 to lock the rod I94 in its adjusted position.

It will be observed that the cam follower is held in contact with the cam II4 by the weight of the rocker arm 92 and the positioning mechanism attached thereto. Consequently the posi tioning mechanism is lowered when the roller enters the valleys I49 and is raised when the roller leaves the said-valleys of the cam. Moreover. the tops I42 of the cam teeth are preferably on an are having its radius at the axis of rotation of the cam so that a dwell is obtained following raising of the mechanism to hold the mechanism in its up position. Since the cam shaft II9 receives its power from the motor 44 through the table drive shaft I9 it will be understood that the raising and lowering of the positioning mechanism is in timed relation to the indexing of the table. In the disclosed embodiment the shaft II9 rotates one revolution for every three of the shaft 19 and every three revolutions of the Geneva drive shaft 99. Therefore the cam I I4 rotates degrees or one valley I49 and one top I42 of the cam in one revolution of the shaft 19 and one revolution of the Geneva drive arm 92. During; part of the rotation of the arm 92 the table 94 indexed and during the remainder it is heldstationary. The operation of the cam H4 is preferably timed so that the cam roller I39 is on a top I42 of the' cam and holding the positioning mechanism stationary in its raised position when the table is indexing and such that the roller is in the valley I49 of the cam and lowering and raising the positioning mechanism when the table is stationary.

The feeding box 99 of the positioning mechanism generally comprises as shown in Fl8S.5 and 6, a box-like casing having front and rear walls I94 and I44 respectively, end walls I 49 and I49 respectively, and top and bottom walls I99 and I92 respectively, forming one or more olive receiving chambers I94. Four chambers are preferably provided in the present embodiment, this number corresponding to the number of olive holding cups 49 indexed in each position of the table, and to be loaded at one time. Vertical separating walls I99 divide the easing into the requisite number of chambers.

The hopper 99 for the feeding box is an open bottom member of trapezoidal section formed by obliquely positioned front and rear walls I99 and a'gsvasas I respectively, and end walls I02 and lurespectiv to'the top wall III, of the feeding-box casing. The hopper is preferably divided into separate compartments Ill correspondingly arranged to the chambers IN, by vertical separating walls I00 which are aligned with the vertical walls I00 of the chambers.

As shown in Figs. 1, 5 and 8, each chamber III connects with its corresponding hopper compartment I00 by a circular opening or passage III in the top wall I50 of the feeding box. The opening I is of sufllcient size to permit passage therethrough in any position of the largest olive tobepitted.

Each opening III is preferably closed by a separate light weight rectangular vertically swinging flap valve or trap door I12 which is hung by a pairof hook-shaped pins I'll adjacent the intersection of the top and rear walls of the feeding box.

As best seen in Fig. 6, threaded shanks of the pins I'll are mounted in the wall I and secured in position by nuts I10, and openings I'll in the doors are received over the head portions of the pins which curve upwardly to guide the doors when swinging. The openings I18 are sufficiently large to enable the doors to swing freely on the pins. Normally, by reason of gravity the doors hang in the vertical or open position shown in Figs. 5 and 6 abutting the rear wall I of the feeding box. However, when actuated by means to be presently described the doors are swung upwardly on the pins to the horizontal position shown in Fig. 'I where they cover the openings I10 to close and seal them.

In order to assist gravity in reopening the door II2 when such is desired and prevent the door from sticking in closed position should it become wetted with sticky fluid from olives passing through the chamber, a wire spring I00 is provided in the passage I10, as best shown in Figs. 8 and 9. The spring is secured against the upper face of the top wall I00 of the feeding box by a screw I02. A curved portion I" of the spring follows the periphery of the opening I" and terminates in a downwardly bent portion I00 which projects through the opening into the chamber I 54. When the door is swung closed and abuts the under face of the upper wall I00 of the feeding box, it strikes the projecting portion I00 of the spring thus placing the spring under tension which subsequently comes into play when the forces acting to maintain the door closed are released.

It will be observed from Figs. 5 and 6 that each chamber I54 is also provided with an exit consisting of a circular opening III in the bottom wall'I52 of the feeding box casing. This opening preferably corresponds in size to the opening I10 of the feeding box and is located directly opposite it so that it also may pass the largest olive to be pitted. The openings I" are each counterborod on the underside of the wall I52 to provide receiving recesses I90 for the vertically positioned orienting and delivery member I02 which constitute an important feature of the present invention.

The members I02 each comprise a resiliently expansible tube, preferably straight and of circular section and open at both ends, providing'a passageway I ofsuch dimension as to require its dilation in order to pass an olive being forced through it and that is adapted to orient the olive during its progress through the passageway such that it may be elected with its major axis substantially the axis of the tube. Preferably the upper end'of the passageway I04 will be of sufliclent size. for instance slightly larger than the chamber exlt' opening III, to permit olives to lodge themselves in'the tube in any axial position without dilation of the tube, and the lower portion of the passageway will provide a restricted neck or throat, of smaller dimension than the width at its minor axis of the smallest olive to be pitted, requiring dilation of the throat under the sldewise pressure of the olive as it passes through the throat whereby a delayed or dilatory action of the movement of the olive is obtained. The wall of the tube should preferably be of an elastic and durable material such as soft rubber. A material of this character will provide the requisite resiliency to repeatedly conform to the shapes of olives of different size and may also provide a smooth contacting surface substantially impervious to the passage of a fluid medium such as hereinafter described to move the olives through the tubes. The wall may also be relatively thin and soft. Preferably, it will have sufficient resistance to dilation as to provide the desired orienting effect upon the olives and will be stout enough to prevent the tube from bursting before an olive sealed in it is ejected. In practice a soft rubber tube having a wall thickness of about has been used with satisfactory results.

I have also found that a tube having a tapering passageway, for example such as provided by a frustro-conical tube, gives very satisfactory results. A taper of even a slight amount in the surface of the restricted portion of the tube is believed to aid materially in orientation of the olives when they are forced through the tube. The amount of taper to be used will be dictated by the particular objects being handled and the length of the tube possible of use. Best results will however be obtained on olives with a tube having an included angle of less than 30.

The upper ends of the orienting tubes have outwardly turned flanges I96 by which they are positioned in the recesses I90 of the bottom wall I52 of the feeding box casing and tightly clamped therein by a clamping member I98 to provide a fluid and pressure tight connection with the chambers I54. The clamping member consists 'of a horizontal channel-shaped bar 200 provided with a series of vertically positioned cylindrical shields 202 spaced at distances corresponding to the spacing of the orienting tubes. Each shield encompasses a single orienting tube and has its upper end bearing against the resillent flange I of the orienting tube. Each shield also extends lengthwise of the tube to substantially protect the orienting tube for its entire length and provides a lateral stop for displacement and dilation of the orienting tube.

The clamping member I98 is located in position by vertical studs 2 which are rigidly mounted in and extend downwardly from end extensions 200 of the feeding box casing top wall I50 and to angle pieces 200 by threading into both of these parts. The angle pieces 200 are integrally secured to the wall I50 and also serve to reinforce the hopper ends I02 and IN to which they are fastened by suitable means.

Clearance holes 2 I0 are provided in the clamping member for receiving the threaded ends 2I2 I92 through the shields 202 by thumb nuts 2" v which are screwed over the threaded portions 2|: of the studs against the channel bar 222 of the clamp.

In order to force the olives through the orienting tubes and elect them therefrom, I provide for admission into the chambers I54 behind the olives of a fluid medium under pressure. preferably compressed air. Such a medium exerts a continuous and uniform propelling force over the surface of the olive facing upwardly in the tube and permits turning and shifting of the olive while simultaneously pro- Eressively urging the olive through the tube. In practice I have found a pressure of about lbs. per square inch above atmospheric to produce satisfactory results.

If the olive is first lodged in the orienting tube with its major axis oblique to the axis of the tube as illustrated by. the dotted outline 2|8 of an olive in Fig. 7, the end portion of the olive will be in contact with the wall of the tube at opposite sides of the passageway, while there will be gaps between the side portions of the olive and such wall. Moreover, one point of contact will generally be higher than the other. iin these circumstances the compressed air will exert a uniform surface pressure on the olive and act.

upon the surface of the olive to urge it forward and will tend to distend the tube at the areas of contact shown, the effect thereof being that laterally acting opposite forces are set-up by the tube creating a turning moment to cause tuming of the olive toward a position with its long axis paralleling that of the tube the air pressure readily permitting suchturning moment. Moreover, due to the ovoidal-shape of the olive it is believed that the compressed air itself also tends to turn the olive with its major axis in the desired position. While some of the air will bypass the olive it is found that this condition is only temporary and does not prevent forward and orienting movement of the olive. Thus, as the olive progressively moves or slides along the surface of the passageway through the constricted portion of the tube it is gradually turned by the forces acting upon it until finally when its major axis is substantially parallel to that of the tube it seals the passageway closing off leakage of air and now only slides through the tube under propulsion of the compressed air until it is ejected therefrom. Thus, by the time the olive leaves the tip portion 2l8 of the tube it will have been oriented to the predetermined position.

In order to reduce the frictional resistance of the passageway to objects being oriented thereby the wall thereof may be sprayed or otherwise treated with a suitable liquid, for instance, an oily substance by suitably positioned devices not shown, or such substance may be atomized by the compressed air and carried into contact with the surface of the object and in the case of olives any such treatment may generally be omitted as the olives are self lubricating to an oily substance which exudes from their surface.

It will be understood that if the olive is initially lodged in the orienting tube with its major axis paralleling that of the passageway it will be propelled forward through it in that position. Also, that depending upon factors of initial positioning and specific shape of the olive either end of the olive may be the first to emit from the orienting tube. It will also be observed that the shields 202 serve to prevent excessive inflation of the orienting tube by the compressed air when passageway. However,

pushing an over-sized olive through the restricted Portion of the tube after the olive seals the same or when two .or more olives obstruct the tube.

The mechanism for feeding compressed air to thechambers I54 willnow be described. As best seen in Figs. 5 to 8, each chamber IE4 is provided with an airinlet passage 220 that opens into the chamberfrom the rear wall I44 of the feeding box casing and is .normally covered by the gate I12 as seen in Figs.'5 and\8. Each passageway is formed by a tube 222 secured in the wall I44 and projects outwardly normal thereto. The outer end of the tube 222 is closed and each tube has a laterally extending secondary tube 224 that communicates with its e 220. As shown in Figs. 2 and 8, each tube 224 is connected to a separate flexible air hose 226 which serves to bring the compressed air to the 1 220. Each hose in turn connects through tubular inlets 222 to the discharge side 220 (Fig. 3) of a normally closed poppet valve 232 which controls flow of the compressed air to the chambers I". The valve is carried by a bracket 222 bolted to the arm 14 of the pedestal spider frame. The inlet side of thevalve is connected by a pipe 234 (Figs. 2 and 3) to a source of air under pressure which may be a tank of compressed air or the discharge side of an air compressor. 4

pressure regulator 226 is placed in the pipe line' 234 between the valve 222 and source of air for adjusting the pressure to that required for operation, which usually is about 10 lbs. per square inch above atmospheric. A gauge 238 is also connected to the pipe 234 between the valve 222 and the regulator to visually indicate the amount of pressure at the intake side of the valve.

The valve 232 has a vertical stem or rod 242 depending from it, which upon raising opens the valve to permit air to flow to the feeding box chambers and that normally is held in downward closed position by a spring inside the valve a body. As seen in Figs. 2 and 10, this stem has a the valve spring to open the valve.

lation thereto. This cam is best seen in Figs. 2'

and 10 and the latter figure shows the cam in relation to the cam roller 246 of the valve stem 240 when the valve is closed, the arrow in this figure indicating the direction of rotation of the cam. It will be observed that the cam has the general shape of a segment of a circle and has a continuous cam track consisting of the side faces 252 and 254 which connect with a curved face 256 defined byan are having its center at the axis of the cam. In operation of the cam the face 252 will engage the roller 248 of the valve stem 240 and raise the stem against When the curved face 256 of the cam contacts the roller 248 the valve will be fully opened and the valve will stay open during the entire time its roller is engaged by this face. -As the face 254 starts engaging the roller. 248 the valve stem will lower to close the valve and the valve will be entirely the roller. During the interval while the camis out of engagement with the roller 246 the valve will remain closed.

In operation of the present apparatus it is preferred that the cam 266 be set to open the valve 262 when the olive positioner is lowered to a position relative to the olive holding cups 40 shown in Fig. 7 that the tips 2I6 of the positioner orienting and delivery tubes I62 will retain contact with the olives until they are substantially seated in the cups. In this way there is no shifting of the olives from their oriented position during transfer from the tubes to the cups. It is also desirable that the face 262 of the cam be shaped to quickly open the valve whereby the compressed airrapidly enters the feeding box chambers to close the flap valves I12. Also, the face portion 266 of the cam should be preferably long enough to maintain a flow of compressed air into the tubes until after the olives have been deposited in the cups and the olive positioner has been substantially retracted to its up position.

It will be understood that any suitable means may be provided for supplying individual olives to the compartments of the hopper 68. For instance, the olives may be introduced by hand or by a suitable device (not shown) positioned over the olive positioner. Preferably, the manual or mechanical feeding will be in timed relation with the oliver positioner so that individual olives are simultaneously dropped into each of the hopper compartments while the positioner is being lowered into position over the olive holding cups but before compressed air is admitted to the feeding box chambers.

The apparatus of the present invention operates as follows: An operator or a device for supplying individual olives is positioned relative to the hopper 68 of the olive positioner to operate in timed relation thereto and is furnished with a supply of olives to be pitted and power is transmitted to the several instrumentalities from the motor 64 through the shafts 66, 10, 60 and H8. Assuming that a group of empty olive holding cups have been indexed by the table 34 below the olive positioner and are held stationary, the olive positioner will then be in up position shown in Fig. 4. The cam roller I30 of the rocker frame 92 of the positioner will now enter the depressed face III) of the cam II and will start lowering the olive positioner over the olive holding cups III. At this time the air valve 232 will be closed, the valve cam roller 246 will be disengaged from the valve cam 260 and the flap valve I12 of the feeding box chambers I64 will be in the position shown in Figs. 5 and 6. While the positioner is being lowered the olive supply operator or device will drop a single olive into each compartment I66 of the hopper 86,110 attention being given to the angularity of the major axis of the olives in this operation. Each olive falls by gravity from the hopper compartment I66 through the opening I10 into the feeding box chamber I64 and then through the opening I88 into the orienting tube I92 where it lodges itself in the position received therein, for instance, that illustrated by the olive 2I6 in Fig. '7. When the rocker arm cam roller I20 is in the bottom of the space Illloi' the cam II! the olive positioner will have been lowered to the position shown in Fig. '1. When this-position is reached the air valve cam face 262 will engage the valve stem roller 2 46, quickly raising the valve stem to open the valve 222 and admit compressed air into the hose lines 226 communicating with the inlet passages 220 of the feeding box chambers I64. Air will flow rapidly into the chambers and will strike the flap valves I12 which being pivoted at their upper edge will immediately swing upwardly to the position shown in Fig. 'l to close the openings I10 between the hopper compartments and the chambers, and thus maintain air under pressure in the feeding box compartments I54. The air new acts upon the olives in the orienting tubes forcing the same through the tubes past the constricted portion thereof while the wall thereof tends to contact the smallest diameter of the olives and gradually turns them so that they finally leave the tubes with their major axis paralleling the axis of the tubes and are received in the holding cups in the same position suchbeing a vertical one in the present embodiment. At this point, the cam Ill starts to raise the olive positioner, the compressed air continuing to flow until the tips 2I8 of the orienting tubes leave the olives and the positioner is fully retracted to its up position, at which time the valve cam 260 will leave the roller 266 of the valve stem and the valve will close, thus shutting off the supply of air. The flap valves I12 of the feeding box chambers will now drop to their normal vertical position shown in Figs. 5 and 6 leaving the openings I10 free for the introduction of further olives into the chambers I66; Also the cups 40 with their charges of vertically positioned olives will now index to the preliminary incising position of the olive pitting apparatus and a new group of empty holding cups will be brought into position below the olive positioner and another, cycle of operation will be resumed. I

It is to be observed that a further advantage of the present invention is that the olives are firmly pressed into the holding cups 40 so that they will not be shifted from their oriented position in the cups during subsequent movement of the latter, as when indexing the table 36. Thus, as best seen in Fig. 1,.the holding cups 40, are preferably provided with a cavity or pocket 266 that tapers inwardly. When the olives are propelled into the cups under the action of adequate fluid pressure such as previously described, they will become more or less wedged in the pockets of the cups without being substantially marred and will be firmly held therein.

While the particular method and apparatus herein described is well adapted for carrying out the objects of the present invention it will be understood that various modifications, changes and substitutions may be made without departing from the spirit thereof and the present invention is to be construed to include all such modifications, changes and substitutions as may come within the scope of the following claims:

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is: V

1. An apparatus for feeding and orienting generally ovoidal-shaped objects comprising an elastic tube having an open end for the reception of such an object with its major axis in any angular direction and having an annular passageway of such dimension as to require dilation of the tube in order to permit the object to pass therethrough with its major axis coincident with said passageway, and means for applying fluid pressure into the open end of said tube behind such an object lodged therein. to force the object through the tube and eject it therefrom.

2. An apparatus for feeding and orienting a generallyovoidal-shaped object with its major axis in a predetermined position, comprising a tubular member tor the reception of the object, said member having an entrance portion'oi sufflcient size to receive the object in any position and having a dilatable throat portion of smaller dimension than the object to require dilation thereof by the object when the latter is passed therethrough. and meansior applying fluid pressure into said tubular member behind the object when passed into the entrance portion thereoi to force the object through said throat portion and eject it from said member in the predetermined position.

3. An apparatus for ieeding and orienting generally ovidal-shaped objects comprising an open ended elastic tube for the reception of such an object, said tube having a passageway larger at one end than at the other. the larger end being of greater size than the major axis or the object to enable the object to be lodged therein in any position and the smaller end being of smaller size than the minor axis of the object as to require dilation of the tube to permit the object to pass therethrough, and means for applying fluid prwsure into said tube behind such an object lodged therein to force the object through the tube and eject it therefrom.

4. An apparatus for feeding and orienting gen-,

erally ovoidal-shaped objects comprising an elastic tube having an open upper end for thereception of such an object by gravity and converging into a passageway having a portion requiring dilation in order to permit the object to pass therethrough, and means for applying fluid pressure into said tube behind such an object lodged therein to force the object through the tube and eject it therefrom.

5. An apparatus for feeding and orienting generally ovoidal-shaped objects comprising an open ended elastic tube for the reception'of such an object, said tube having a frusto-conical passageway into the larger end of which the object may be introduced without dilation of the tube, the smaller end being of restricted size such as to require dilation of the tube in order to permit the object to pass therethrough, and means for applying fluid pressure into said tube behind such an obiect lodged therein to force the object through the tube and elect it therefrom.

6. An apparatus for feeding and orienting generally ovoidal-shaped objects comprising an elongated open ended tapered tube having a portion normally sumciently large to receive such an object and having another portion normally too small to pass such an object without dilation of said portion, said tube having a relatively thin wall of elastic material soft enough to permit said small portion of the tube to be dilated to pass the object but stout enough to' prevent bursting of the tube during passage of the object, and means for applying fluid pressure into said tube behind such an obiect lodged therein to force the object'through said tube and eject it therefrom.

7. An apparatus for feeding and orienting generally ovoidal-shaped objects comprising a feeding box having a chamber, an expansible orienting means communicating with said chamber, said orienting means having a passageway of such dimension as to require dilation of said means in order to permit such an object to passtherethrough, means for admitting such an object to said orienting means through said chamber, and means for admitting fluid under pressure into said chamber and behind such an object for propelling the oblect through said orienting means.

8. An apparatus for feeding and orienting generally ovoidai-shaped objects comprising a feeding box having a chamber, said box having an opening for admitting such an object to said chamber, means for closing the opening insaid chamber, an elastic tube communicating with said chamber, said tube having a passageway of such dimension as to require dilation of the tube in order to permit the object to pass therethrough, and means for admitting fluid under pressure into said chamber behind such an object to operate said closing means to close said opening and to force the object through said tube and elect it therefrom.

9. An apparatus for feeding and orienting generally ovoidal-shaped objects, comprising a feeding box having a chamber, said box having an opening for admitting such an object to said chamber, a normally open closure pivotally I mounted adjacent said opening, an orienting tube communicating with said chamber, said tube having an elastic portion normally too small for passage or such an object without dilation of said portion, and means including an air inlet for admitting air under pressure into said chamber for actuating said closure to close said opening and for forcing the object through said orienting tube.

10. An apparatus for feeding and orienting generally ovoidal-shaped objects, comprising a feeding box having a chamber, said box having an opening for admitting such an object to said chamber, means for closing the opening in said chamber, an elastic orienting tube communicating with said chamber for receiving the object therefrom, said tube having a passageway of such dimension as to require dilation of the tube in order to permit the object to pass therethrough,

and means for admitting fluid under pressure into said chamber behind the object to operate said closing means to close the opening in said chamber and to force the object through said tube, including a fluid inlet communicating with said chamber, a valve for controlling flow of fluid to said inlet and means for controlling said valve.

11. An apparatus for feeding and orienting generally ovoidal-shaped objects, comprising a hopper to receive such an object, a feeding box having a chamber, said box having an opening communicating with the bottom of said hopper from said chamber and through which the object may pass into said chamber, an inlet for admitting air under pressure into said chamber, a closure member pivotally suspended adjacent said inlet and adapted to be swung upwardly to close said opening when an object has been admitted to said chamber, an expansible orienting tube communicating with said chamber opposite said opening and adapted to receive an object from said chamber and having a constricted portion for obstructing normal passage of such an object, an air valve communicating with said inlet, and means for opening said air valve to admit air into said chamber for actuating said closure member to close said opening and for propelling an object in said chamber through the constricted portion of said orienting tube.

12. An apparatus for feeding and orienting generally ovoidal-shaped objects, comprising a feeding box having a chamber, a fluid inlet communicating with said chamber for admitting fluid under pressure therein, an opening in said chambet through which such an object be received in said'chamber, a gate for closing said opening. and an expansible orienting means communicatlng with said chamber to receive an object therefrom and having a constricted opening through which the object may leave said chamber for righting said object with its major axis in axial alignment with said constricted opening when fluid pressure is admitted to said chamber. a

13. An apparatus for feeding and orienting generally ovoidal-shaped objects, comprising an elastic tube having one end open for the reception of such an object disposed in any angular direction, said tube having a passageway at its opposite end of such dimension as to require dilation of the tube in order to permit the object to pass therethrough, means for applying fluid pressure into the receiving end of said tube behind such an object lodged therein to force the object through said tube and means substantially encompassing said tube for preventing excessive ballooning of said tube by the force of said fluid pressure as resisted by the object.

14. An apparatus for feeding and orienting generally ovoidal-shaped objects, comprising a feeding box having a chamber, an opening in said box through which such an object may be admitted to said chamber, an elastic frustro-conical tube communicating with said chamber, an air inlet to admit air under pressure into said chamber behind such an object received therein to force the object through said tube, means actuated by said air to close and seal said opening in said chamber when the object has been ad- 'mitted thereto, and a second tube surrounding said elastic tube for preventing bursting of said elastic tube when air is admitted to said chamber to force the object through said tube.

15. An apparatus for feeding and orienting generally ovoidal-shaped objects including a receptacle for receiving the object in a predetermined position, comprising an open ended elastic tube for the reception of such an object to be positioned, said tube having a passageway of such dimension as to require dilation of said tube in order to permit the object to pass therethrough,

I through said tube and into said receptacle, and

means for admitting fluid under pressure into said fluid conducting means when said tube is in discharge position and for maintaining the flow thereof into said means until the object has been discharged from said tube and said tube has been moved out of contact with the object discharged therefrom.

16. The method or feeding and orienting generally ovoidal-shaped objects, comprising gravitally feeding such objects one at a time into an expansible passage constricted to a diameter smaller than the minor axis of the object, and app y a uniform surface pressure behind the object to urge it through said passage thereby subjecting the object to a turning moment as it passes through said passage to position said object with its major axis concentric relative to said passage. 17. An apparatus for feeding and orienting generally ovoidal-shaped objects comprising aieed hopper having a chamber, orienting means associated with said chamber and having a passageway communicating therewith of such dimension as to receive the object haphazardly from said chamber and having an expansible portion requiring dilation in order to permit the object to pass therethrough, and means for admitting fluid under pressure into said chamber for propelling the object through said orienting means.

18. An apparatus for feeding and orienting generally ovoidal-shaped objects, comprisinga feeding box having a, chamber and having an opening through which such an object may be admitted to said chamber, an elastic frusto-conical tube communicating with said chamber, an air inlet to admit air under pressure into said chamber behind the object received therein to force the object through said tube, means actuated-by said air to close and seal the opening in said chamber when the object has been admitted thereto, and means for limiting the expansion of said tube to prevent bursting thereof when air is admitted to said chamber.

19. An apparatus for depositing a generally ovoidal-shaped object into a holding receptacle with the major axis of the object substantially aligned with the axis of said receptacle, comprising a movable resilient tube and having an entrance opening of sufllcient size to receive-the object in any position and having a dilatable passage for obstructing normal movement of the object through said tube, means for moving said tube into a. position relative to the receptacle with the axis of said passage substantially coincident to the axis of said receptacle, means for applying pressure to the object to force the latter through the passage thereby imparting a turning moment to the object in its progress through said passage to turn the object into a position with its major axis paralleling the axis of said passage as the object passes therethrough whereby to discharge the object in oriented position into said receptacle, and means for withdrawing th tube from the receptacle while pressure is applied to the object to prevent displacement of the latter in said receptacle.

20. An apparatus for feeding fruit or the like to a holding receptacle having an inwardly tapered pocket into which the fruit is to be wedged, comprising a movable passage for delivering fruit to said receptacle, means for moving the passage relative to said receptacle whereby the fruit will be received in said receptacle pocket before it entirely leave said passage, and means for propelling the fruit through said passage to discharge the fruit therefrom and wedge it in said receptacle pocket.

21. In an apparatus for feeding fruit or the like to a, holding receptacle having an inwardly tapered pocket into which the fruit is to be wedged, movable orienting means having an open ended passage for delivering the fruit to said receptacle, means for moving the orienting means into a position relative to said receptacle such that an end of the fruit will be substantially seated in said tapered pocket before the entire fruit leaves said passage, means for admitting fluid under pressure into said orienting means for sage and wedge it in said receptacle pocket. and

means for withdrawing the orienting means out oi. said position in relation to said receptacle during continued admission oi fluid under pressure to prevent displacement oi the fruit in the receptacle pocket.

22.- The method oi positioning generally ovoidal-shaped objects comprising feeding the object- CERTIFICATE m commoner.

Patent No. 3,372,325.

aroma n'oa'mu mun.

asmsas 23fA-n apparatus for feeding and orienting generally ovoidal-shaped objects comprising a a chamber, orienting means associated with said chamber and having a passageway communicating therewith of such object haphazardly from said chamber and including an expansible portion requiring dilation a in order to permit the object to pass therethrough, and means for admitting fluid under pressure into said chamber for propelling the object through said orienting means.

Gnome NORTON 1mm.

liarch 27 1915. a

It is hereby certified t at "error pp 3 the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction asfollows: Page 1;, first column, line 65-61;., after-"lubricating" insert the word --dne and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that I the some may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed. and sealed this 27th day of November, A. D. 1915.

(Sea 1) Leslie Frazer First Assistant Commissioner. of Patents.

dimension as to receive the sage and wedge it in said receptacle pocket. and

means for withdrawing the orienting means out oi. said position in relation to said receptacle during continued admission oi fluid under pressure to prevent displacement oi the fruit in the receptacle pocket.

22.- The method oi positioning generally ovoidal-shaped objects comprising feeding the object- CERTIFICATE m commoner.

Patent No. 3,372,325.

aroma n'oa'mu mun.

asmsas 23fA-n apparatus for feeding and orienting generally ovoidal-shaped objects comprising a a chamber, orienting means associated with said chamber and having a passageway communicating therewith of such object haphazardly from said chamber and including an expansible portion requiring dilation a in order to permit the object to pass therethrough, and means for admitting fluid under pressure into said chamber for propelling the object through said orienting means.

Gnome NORTON 1mm.

liarch 27 1915. a

It is hereby certified t at "error pp 3 the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction asfollows: Page 1;, first column, line 65-61;., after-"lubricating" insert the word --dne and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that I the some may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed. and sealed this 27th day of November, A. D. 1915.

(Sea 1) Leslie Frazer First Assistant Commissioner. of Patents.

dimension as to receive the 

